Rockford recruiters say job availability is narrowing

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — While Rockford has been considered a populous and growing city, many people are struggling to find jobs.

Job hunting comes with various challenges, especially after a global pandemic. Branch Manager for Spherion Staffing and Recruiting Courtney Vossekuil said employers over-hired during that time, but ever since, hiring has been low.

“A lot of employers are struggling right now,” Vossekuil said. “There are people, it’s just more specialized roles that need more skill sets or things that companies are looking for specifically.”

Vossekuil offered other potential reasons the job search has been challenging.

“We are rapidly growing as a city, but a lot of people aren’t leaving their jobs voluntarily, or it’s companies that need more of those skill positions and not being willing to do the training versus the qualifications.”

On the other side of it, Director of Human Resources at Hard Rock Casino Rockford Miguel Pascual said it hasn’t been hard filling the massive number of positions they have, but they’re looking for driven employees.

“We have a mantra where we can teach you the skill we just need, we need you to have the personality,” Pascual said. “There are some unique positions that we have had some challenges with on finding the right talent for it, but I think we’re still working very hard at those.”

Vossekuil offered advice to companies that could help get their current employees to stay in Rockford.

“A lot of it is just valuing your employees that you currently have really investing in them because they want to stay,” Vossekuil said. “I just think that if people feel valued anywhere, it means that it goes a lot more than trying to find another job or adding another job to their resume.”

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